START planning ahead and cooking ahead. You should not be waiting until you are hungry to make food choices.

Of course fast food is addictive--it is loaded with nasty chemicals. Once you get them out of your system the lure will not be as strong because you will start to notice that fast food is, actually, really disgusting.

Count all of the calories that you are consuming in the foods that you purchase from fast food places. For me, it was a BIG eye opener how many calories I was knocking back in just one 'meal'.

Slowly start eliminating or 'downsizing' what you get. For instance, if you get a Whopper instead get a Jr. Whopper. If it's a supersize fry either eliminate or get a medium instead. Keep working your way down.

Reward yourself every time you make the decision to not go through the drive thru.

Good luck - this can be done. Just give yourself the chance to change your habits.

I used to eat fast food every day for months. I work 2 blocks from McDonald's & I would stop for breakfast before work & some days I would even stop after work. Not only is it extremely expensive, it would lead to me making unhealthy choices the rest of the day. I decided that I was no longer going to eat fast food & I stuck with it. It sucked for the first few weeks, I would crave fries & burgers but it gets easier. In all honesty, I can't even tell you the last time I ate fast food, it's been at least 5-6 months. Every time I'm tempted, I think to myself, I can eat 1 burger or I can eat a giant HEALTHY lunch. I can have an order of fries or I can fuel my body with delicious food. I've found the longer I go, the less I want it. Willpower at it's finest!

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.

If someone has something bad to say about you, it's probably because they have nothing good to say about themselves.

The feelings of lack of control over an inanimate object indicate an err somewhere in the thought process. I would consider talking to yourself (or God/Jesus) out loud, or someone you respect about your decision before doing it, and listening to your reasoning for going through the drive thru. Is it logical? What are your options? What is your motivation for weight loss?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

I really believe it's an addiction. The longer I go without fast food, the less I want it. But once I have it, it's all I can think about. So frustrating!

After work is my biggest "trigger" time. So I chew gum or eat an apple on my way home. Also, planning what I am going to make for dinner that night helps me focus on the healthy food and get excited about it. Tonight I am making cheese ravioli with sauteed mushrooms and zucchini. WAY better than a burger that will make me feel like crap.

NOW "that's" a problem Since I assume you NEED to drive past the fast food place - I suggest you STOCK your car with "healthy snacks" such as granola bars, fruit like apples, oranges, nuts (pre-portioned). Hopefully these items will help you just SPEED right past those tempting places

First Place 4 Health SP-Team Lead

MANDIETERRIER1
Posts:
14,253
1/12/14 10:43 P

Could you get your groceries delivered? I get my groceries delivered and it keeps me from temptation

Eat what you like and if someone comments, eat them too

My Rat Terrier has Congestive Heart Failure and other health problems. Making a purchase from Mandies_Friends Zazzle Store helps with her medical costs www.zazzle.com/mandies_friends+gifts

And one more thing...I saw this in someone's blog and I've been LIVING it! when you make the choice to bypass that drive thru - don't feel deprived! Feel empowered! Seems silly but I've caught myself a few times actually saying this and oddly I do smile a little.

Sandi

ALGEBRAGIRL
Posts:
1,925
1/12/14 12:11 P

Does the whole grocery shopping experience stress you out?

It's much much easier, and you're rewarded more quickly when you go to the drive through. There's no cleanup, other than throwing out the bag, and you've done something positive. You've fed yourself when you needed to feed yourself. So check that off a list.... done! On the other hand, shopping for groceries may not be as exciting. It may even be stressful. One thing that I've done is promise myself that if I shop for groceries when there are quicker solutions available, I'll buy something that is less caloric at the deli section of the supermarket and allow myself to eat it in the car in the parking lot if I'm truly hungry and can't wait. Most of the time, I find I can wait until I get home. Sometimes not.

Not only is there the stress of shopping for groceries, making every choice count, but then there's walking in the door and having to put everything away. By that time, I may REALLY feel like stress eating, so if I've managed to wait to eat that deli purchase, it's good to have it available for a simple meal or snack. That's the most stressful time - putting away a LOT of groceries in different places. Thinking that maybe I should be cleaning out the refrigerator.

I'm not a superefficient housekeeper. Someone who is would look at this in an entirely different way. In my case, the stress of keeping up with things I have to do is one thing that makes me want to just go to a drivethrough on a busy day. On the other hand, if you can fit the calories into your diet, it's a wonderful thing to be able to do that on a busy day. I love McD's, for the convenience and also because I love the food. But it has to fit in my calorie budget or else it's a problem. That's the bottom line.

I really do understand this! I have an addiction to McDonald's and I would say "well if I eat the egg mcmuffin and get a large tea then I'm still doing well" but quite honestly it would lead to a need to have a hashbrown and then of course I should have orange juice! It's a hard thing to break because often I felt I could eat cheaper at McD's vs at home and it was always quicker. I decided to put one of my goals to cook more often! I'm embarrassed to say that I could eat 2 out of 3 meals at fast food a day (not uncommon)! I decided with 2014 that I would limit my fast food to 2 times a week and they could NOT be consecutive. I found that (as THATGIRL says below) that if I shopped & was prepared here at home then I was less likely to go out. I also tried to understand exactly what was I craving at McD's - was it really the food? was it the convenience? was I escaping from my kitchen because I really don't know what to do in there? I believe it is the latter so for the last 12 twelve days I have used the auto generated food plan (tweaking along the way) and I do the shopping ahead of time. I check in often so that I'm not confused about what meal is next. Good luck! It's not easy - I sincerely understand where you are coming from. I've only been plugging with this new plan for a few weeks but I've made progress (lost 8 lbs) and I do feel more in control.

After you stopped and indulged in your fast food binge, then head to the grocery store! You will not be hungry for sure, so you just shop from a list you will have made...produce, fresh foods, etc....shop the perimeter of the store, not those 'end caps' with the junk food. Next day deliberately stay home...no driving by Mickey D's for temptations....and make a meal at home from the wholesome food you bought. Bet you will appreciate the taste, the freshness, the quality not to mention the healthy benefits. Step one in breaking a bad habit!

Sandi / Florida

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. ~Robert Frost

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